# Bjarne Viking pipes, input request



## Hambone1 (May 31, 2011)

Anyone heard of or has a Bjarne Viking pipe? I went to my local B&M shop and was window shopping at the pipes in the display case. I noticed a nice looking one and decided to purchase it. I've never heard of Viking, but that nothing special, being a novice and all. I found it to be really light weight. The bowl looks black already. Wondering if it has some kind of coating on it. Researching on the internet now. 

Anyway, I purchase some rubber tips as well. First time trying to rubber tips, I'm interested in how they feel. Loved the packaging on the rubber tips, said 'Live rubber pipe bits', guess that's better than dead rubber pipe bits....lol!


----------



## rlaliberty (Jul 6, 2008)

I have a Viking and it's a damn good smoker for the price I paid. The coating is probably just Bjarne's proprietary coating thats supposed to aid in building a cake. A lot of makers do it. I know some people sand it down to bare wood but I find that leaving it is fine.


----------



## canadianpiper (Nov 27, 2010)

I love my Bjarne, its one of my favorite/best smokers. Its one of the older models and not a viking.


----------



## Stonedog (Mar 9, 2011)

I have a Viking "Houston Light" model. I paid about $65 for it in a B&M a few months ago. They are cheaper online... It is a good smoker but the gloss finish cracked off around the rim a week or so ago. No biggie, but if you're a perfectionist it might annoy you. I've notice the drill hole on mine isn't very wide and can clog if I'm not careful. I only use it for flakes, so that's not such a big deal.

The coating in the inside of the bowl isn't very strong, it will scratch off if you hit it just right with a pipe tool. 

I believe the Viking name was originally used for Bjarne's line of seconds. Now they are all made in Italy? Either way they are a pretty good value and I would buy another.


----------



## keithisreal (Jun 3, 2011)

I haven't heard of that brand but I will check it out at my shop.


----------



## Zfog (Oct 16, 2010)

I have one and it's just ok, only about 45 dollars though.


----------



## Exille (Mar 7, 2011)

I have a Bjarne Viking Houston, paid $40 for it and its smokes great! also had that pro-cake coating on it.


----------



## Commander Quan (May 6, 2003)

The Viking line are Bjarne's seconds. That doesn't mean it's not a good pipe, there is probably just some cosmetic reason why it didn't qualify as a regular Bjarne. You probably got a good smoker at a very reasonable price.


----------



## Fuzzy (Jun 19, 2011)

I bought a Bjarne pipe while overseas in or around 1970. It has a BIG bowl and smokes very well. My oldtimers desease has kinda kicked in but I believe I paid near 100 bucks for it back then.

Wouldn't sell it now.


----------



## Hambone1 (May 31, 2011)

Good, I only paid $54 dollars for it and it does have an flaw. The coating in the bowl is incomplete. Has a bubble hole where I can see the wood and the coating in the bowl isn't smooth at the rim. I'll find out how it smokes tonight.


----------



## Pugsley (Jul 12, 2009)

Shawn said:


> Good, I only paid $54 dollars for it and it does have an flaw. The coating in the bowl is incomplete. Has a bubble hole where I can see the wood and the coating in the bowl isn't smooth at the rim. I'll find out how it smokes tonight.


I wouldn't consider that a flaw. The coating in the bowl is supposed to protect the wood and facilitate cake building in the first few bowls but the jury is still out as to whether it's really effective at all. With or without the coating just smoke it slowly while you beak it in and form that protective cake.


----------



## owaindav (Mar 7, 2010)

I have a Bjarne Viking sitter. It's a decent smoke. It's not the best in my collection but it's not bad. I'll say this, for the money, I'd get a Savinelli instead but still it's not bad.


----------



## btb01 (May 29, 2011)

I bought this handmade Bjarne Giant a few years ago:










I actually don't know much about the brand, though I think this is a few steps up from the Viking line. It definitely doesn't feel lightweight, that's for sure. Because of it's size, I don't smoke this one that often, but when I have, it has always performed well.

As for the black coating in the bowl, that is pretty standard&#8230; I think all my pipes came like that.


----------

